Printing mask



Dec. 19, 1950 H. DUNN 2,534,961

PRINTING MASK Filed Aug. 11, 1947 INVENTOR. Howey flaw ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 19, l950 UNITED STATES PATENT (OFFICE PRINTING MASK Henry Dunn, Detroit, Mich.

Application August 11, 1947, Serial No. 767,876

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a mask, and more particularly to a mask to be used in connection with the printing of pictures through a negative photograph to a sensitized printing paper.

In printing pictures, it is often desirable to print only certain portions of a negative and to position the negative at various angles relative to the cut out inner edges of the mask so that a selected portion of the negative may be printed through the mask in definite angular relation to the paper.

It is often desirable to vary the size of the opening in the mask when printing pictures of diiferent dimensions. If defects are found in certain portions of the negative which would be objectionable in the finished print, the size of the opening in the mask and the location of the opening may be positioned to block out the defect.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a mask having a plurality of sections which are readily removable for varying the size of the opening in the mask.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet of material such as paper board having a plurality of scored or weakened sections which may be readily pressed out to obtain various size openings.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the scoring in such a manner that the edges of the opening formed, by removing certain portions along predetermined lines, will maintain a definite relation relative to the outer edges of the mask.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the mask;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the mask showing a negative film attached to the mask.

Referring to the drawings, I have showna mask ll) of opaque material such as paper or thelike. The mask is shown rectangular in form, but may be of any shape or size. The surface of the mask is provided with a plurality of scored or perforated lines I: forming removable sections which may be removed by slight pressure along the scored lines.

The scored lines are arranged in parallel spaced relation to provide adjacent areas of right The removable sections are represented by the letters A, B, C, D, E and F. As shown, any one of six different size openings may be used to mask a negative for printing.

As shown in Fig. 3, a negative [4 is secured to the back of the mask II] by any suitable means, such as adhesive tape It. The negative is illustrated as one having been improperly exposed, as by tilting of the camera. It is desirable to rectify this mistake by printing the picture in a straight or true relation relative to the edges of the opening in the mask. The negative is therefore shown arranged on the mask in angular relation to the mask.

As indicated at l8, a defect is On the negative which is undesirable to print on the finished picture. The size of the opening may be predetermined to block out the defect.

In the making of pictures, the amateur photographer exposes the negative but seldom develops the negative or prints the picture from the finished negative. If the pictures are of the colored type, the processor returns the finished negative to the photographer along with a supply of the improved masks. When the photographer desires an enlargement or a reproduction of the picture, either by the contact method or by the projection method, he selects the area of the negative he desires to be printed and removes a section or sections of the mask corresponding to an area equal to the desired area to be printed. The mask is then adhesively secured to the negative and returned to the processor with instructions on the mask as to the number of prints required and the size of print.

By the use of the improved mask the operator may select any one of a number of various size openings for printing a given size picture. He may arrange the negative on the mask to give the proper angular relation, and he may block out undesirable portions of a negative. By this method of reproducing pictures the operator may I have one standard form of mask which may be angle shape and may be defined as shaped areas used to obtain different size exposures without the trouble of having to cut an opening in the mask to fit the area of the negative he wishes to be exposed.

The method herein set forth eliminates any possibility of misunderstanding between the photographer and the processor. The exact area of the negative is definitely determined by the photographer and the processor can make no error through written or oral instructions.

It will be understood that various sizes, shapes and arrangement of the scored lines 'may be nested on two sides of said rectangular shaped area, two of said intermittent incisions being common to all of said removable areas.

HENRY DUNN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,900,651 Koenig et a1. May '7, 1933 2,187,381 Lane Jan. 16, 1940 

